1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a system and method for sending short text messages, and more particularly to a system and method for sending short text messages in a mobile communication system.
2. Description of the Related Art
Due to the innovative development of network technologies, various messaging services, including SMS (Short Message Service), MMS (Multimedia Messaging Service) and email, have become available on mobile phones. Mobile subscribers generally use SMS to exchange short text messages and wireless Internet service to exchange information via the Internet.
When a short text message is sent using SMS, the recipient's mobile phone can receive the short text message through a public switched telephone network or a data communication network including the Internet.
SMS is generally used by two methods. The first is to send a message to an intended recipient's mobile phone by accessing the Internet through a computer. The second uses mobile phones.
The SMS service is available only to mobile subscribers with their own mobile phones. SMS messages can be received even during a voice call over a mobile phone. If there is a message received while the mobile phone is off, a short message service center (SMSC) temporarily stores the message data When the recipient's mobile phone is turned on and registers its location at the network, it can then receive the stored message from the SMSC. In addition, with the SMS service, the subscribers can receive information, such as stock quotes and weather forecasts, or use Internet banking services and e-commerce.
If a subscriber does not use a roaming service or cannot turn on his or her mobile phone while traveling abroad, he or she cannot read messages sent to the phone. Even while roaming in a foreign country, the subscriber cannot read any received text message if the language used in the message is not supported by the foreign mobile phone network.
When a short text message is sent as email, it is transferred to the recipient's email address through a service provider network and then through the Internet. In such a case, the message sender is charged for email.
As disclosed in EP 132126, mobile subscribers may register their email addresses at a mobile service provider server (for example, a home location register) if they wish to receive short text messages as both email and SMS. When a short text message is delivered, the short message service center (SMSC) searches the mobile service provider server to detect whether a registered email address is included in the destination address of the message, which creates overhead.